Using social media in our personal lives has become second nature for many. Whether it's sharing pet pictures or sending the annual 'Happy Birthday' messages as prompted by Facebook, we share, connect and communicate at increasing rates across our favourite platforms. But how confident are you in using social media for your career?

When you're looking for a real ROI on the time you spend social networking for work you may find yourself thinking more about the best way to use each platform. Although these platforms are constantly evolving, you can optimise your use by keeping a couple of aims in mind...

1. Expanding Your Network & Influence

The instantaneous nature of social media means you can stay at the forefront of developments, stories and opinions in your areas of interest. You can use this to engage in global conversations extending well beyond your immediate network and highlight your expertise to a broader audience. As you engage in these conversations, you can open up your network further, think about connecting with the people you want to know and the people you ought to know. 

2. Building & Expanding Your Business

You can apply this concept to your own personal brand, not just that of the company. Participating in trending conversations in your industry through smart, timely content raises your profile as a valued and trusted source of information. Before your potential clients know you exist, they may come into contact with the brand you've built for yourself online; consider the questions you can answer for them or the issues they may be facing when planning your social media content